Stephen Bickford-Smith

year of call: 1972

areas of law

Property

Dispute Resolution

Stephen is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Chartered Arbitrator. He is also a practicing adjudicator, a qualified mediator and on the adjudication panels of TECBAR and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. In Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (HY) Ltd v Shepherd Construction Ltd decided in September 2009 the judge described Stephen as “a barrister well known in construction law circles”. He is regularly appointed as an arbitrator in disputes in the construction, property and professional services fields, including substantial construction and property disputes. Arbitration awards made during the last 3 years include:

• Decisions on preliminary issues in 2 disputes between Tenant Management Organisations and a Housing Authority relating to application of right to manage regulations made under the Housing Act 1985 as amended.
• A dispute between two firms of surveyors regarding a work-sharing agreement.
• A dispute relating to service charges between a housing authority and local residents.
• A fee dispute between a firm of surveyors and its clients relating to collective enfranchisement.

He also accepts appointments to act as adjudicator under the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. His recent decisions include:

• A  decision in a claim by a main contractor against a sub-contractor for damages for alleged defects in glazed curtain walling.
• A decision in a complex multi-million pound construction case where an issue arose as to whether there was a contract in writing.
• A claim for extension of time and repayment of £2.4 Million liquidated damages.

Stephen also acts frequently as advocate and party representative in arbitration and adjudication and is ready to meet the tight timescales required. He is also increasingly involved in International Arbitration.

He has competent French and Italian and is familiar with the legal systems of these countries. Stephen is the immediate past chairman of the London Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the London Court of International Arbitration. He regularly participates as professional in the annual  International Commercial Mediation Competitions organised by the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. He has addressed audiences in London and Paris on choice of forum in international arbitrations. He writes regularly on arbitration topics and his article on legal challenges in rent review arbitrations was published in Arbitration in August 2009.

QUALIFICATIONS

Stephen Bickford-Smith was a scholar of Magdalen College, Oxford, where he read Classics and Jurisprudence.

He is a Bencher of the Inner Temple, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a Registered Chartered Arbitrator.

He is immediate past chairman of the London Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is a Member of the Panels of Arbitrators maintained by the Law Society, IDRS Limited, and TECBAR. He is a member of the panels of Adjudicators of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and TECBAR. He is a qualified mediatior and a member of the TECBAR mediation panel .He accepts mediations via the National Mediation Helpline.. Stephen is a member of TECBAR, the Property Bar Association, the Professional Negligence Bar Association, and the Chancery Bar Association. He is also a qualified ADR Group Accredited Mediator.

CASES

INQUIRIES

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